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Pihlajalinna Oyj STOCK EXCHANGE October 5, 2015, at 8.00 (EET)

Pihlajalinna expands social services area to asylum seeker reception center operations

Finnish Immigration Service has asked for urgent help from the private social and healthcare service companies to get enough reception premises for the asylum seekers arriving to Finland.  Hundreds of asylum seekers arrive to Finland daily and the accommodation situation is critical.

The reception centers have so far been mainly established by the Finnish Red Cross however due to the rapidly increasing amount of asylum seekers help is needed also from the private service providers to solve the reception center accommodation crisis. 

Pihlajalinna has offered the Finnish Immigration Service to start reception center operations immediately in three municipalities (Kokemäki, Kihniö and Hämeenlinna) where the company already has operations. Pihlajalinna agreed with the Finnish Immigration Services on Sunday October 4, 2015 that Pihlajalinna will open three reception centers. The first two Pihlajalinna reception centers will be opened on Wednesday the 7 ^th October and one more on Monday October 12. The three reception centers can facilitate approximately 350 asylum seekers. Pihlajalinna is investigating also other suitable target premises for possibilities to expanding the reception center operations. Before making decisions to initiate reception center operations in the areas where Pihlajalinna has complete outsourcing operations it will be discussed in advance with the municipalities.

Expanding the Pihlajalinna business operations to asylum seeker reception center operations has significant synergies with company's current social services production in municipalities it already operates.

Running the reception center operations requires suitable premises as well as reasonable capability to produce the services. Pihlajalinna has comprehensive experience of producing social and healthcare services to municipalities, complete facilities, expert staff and 24/7 on-call emergency operations.

Pihlajalinna sees the production of the asylum seekers reception center services alongside the Finnish Red Cross and other actors as a significant action of corporate responsibility. Pihlajalinna will offer its available resources to help to handle this extremely difficult situation as well as possible.

More information:

Mikko Wirén, CEO, Pihlajalinna Oyj, 050-3220927

Terhi Kivinen, SVP, Communication, Marketing and IR, Pihlajalinna Oyj, 040-8484001, terhi.kivinen@pihlajalinna.fi

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